Last week was a good one for Russian runner-up of 2006, Dima Bilan; he ended it having been voted Voice of 2006 by voters in a major Russian poll.

The poll, conducted by TNS Gallup Media, canvassed music lovers from 16 to 55 years of age across a broad area of Russia, and quizzed the public on all aspects of a singing star: vocal talent, stylish appearance and 'who you can most justifiably call a sex symbol', to name just a few of the questions.

The result, which, according to the organisers "reflects the opinions of 43 million people", puts Dima firmly at the top, crowning an amazing year of success for the young singer since his second place at the Athens Eurovision Song Contest. In 2005, Dima scraped in at 43rd place in the same poll; convincing evidence that he has become a true Russian superstar. He can add the latest accolade to a growing shelf of awards, including the local MTV Best Artist award, amongst others that he picked up over the last twelve months.

You can see pictures from Dima's awards party at his official site by clicking here.